New Delhi: Amid intensifying Opposition protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, a group of 42 former judges has issued a strongly worded open letter warning against sustained attempts to undermine the Election Commission of India (ECI) and other constitutional institutions. The retired judges, including former Supreme Court Justices Hemant Gupta and Pankaj Mithal, expressed grave concern over what they described as a “calculated campaign” driven by vested political interests.
The letter comes as INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, continue their agitation in the national capital against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition has accused CEC Kumar of arbitrary decision-making and plotting the deletion of eligible voters to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—allegations that the ECI has categorically rejected.
In their statement, the former judges defended the Election Commission, calling the SIR a necessary and lawful exercise intended to maintain accurate voter lists for free and fair elections. “Criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not,” the judges stated, objecting to constitutional authorities being publicly labelled as “puppets” or “compromised.”
The signatories further pointed out that allegations of “vote theft” are frequently made at press conferences rather than before courts of law. “When the Commission seeks a sworn declaration, none is filed. Electronic Voting Machines are blamed only after defeat. Victories won on the same machines go unquestioned,” the letter noted, adding that such conduct severely weakens public confidence in democratic processes.
The former judges emphasised that they do not represent any political party but felt compelled to speak out because “silence is no longer a neutral choice.” They observed that attacks on statutory agencies have gone beyond legitimate criticism, with election officials facing unprecedented public accusations without any legal process establishing guilt.
Urging political parties to pursue their grievances through appropriate legal channels and the Commission itself, the judges appealed to citizens to assess information carefully. They also called upon protesters to exercise their democratic rights peacefully without destabilising the nation’s core institutions.